Imaging apparatus and remote management system of the same

Abstract

In a multi-function imaging machine, a termination condition for each application is managed at a remote location, and a termination operation of the application based on the termination condition is controlled at the imaging apparatus. This imaging apparatus implements a plurality of different applications related to imaging and includes a communication unit that enables transmission and reception of information between an external apparatus, a table that records an application usage state and a termination condition set by the external apparatus for each application, and a control unit that determines whether or not any of the applications satisfies the termination condition during activation by referring to the table, and terminates the application when the termination condition is satisfied.

1. An imaging apparatus that implements a plurality of different applications, comprising:
 a communication unit that receives a termination condition for any of the applications from an external apparatus, wherein the termination condition reflects a user's usage rights for an application; and 
 a control unit that sets the termination condition received from the external apparatus, determines whether or not any of the applications satisfies said termination condition, and terminates an application of the applications when said termination condition is satisfied. 
 
     
     
       2. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the control unit notifies the external apparatus of a termination of said application via the communication unit when said application is terminated. 
 
     
     
       3. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the communication unit receives update information for changing the termination condition from the external apparatus. 
 
     
     
       4. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the control unit sends a notification of an update result to the external apparatus via the communication unit when the termination condition is updated. 
 
     
     
       5. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the communication unit receives a termination instruction for an application of the applications from the external apparatus; and 
 the control unit terminates the application based on the termination instruction. 
 
     
     
       6. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the control unit activates an application of the applications according to an initial state of the application indicating whether the application is to be activated upon power-on of the imaging apparatus. 
 
     
     
       7. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the initial state is set by the external apparatus; and 
 the control unit receives the initial state from the external apparatus via the communication unit. 
 
     
     
       8. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein:
 the communication unit receives update information for changing the initial state from the external apparatus; and 
 the control unit updates the initial state based on said update information. 
 
     
     
       9. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein:
 the control unit sends a notification of an updating result to the external apparatus via the communication unit when the initial state is updated. 
 
     
     
       10. The imaging apparatus as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the control unit includes a system control part that provides an algorithm that is common to the plurality of different applications, and an application control part that is inserted between said system control part and the applications; and 
 the application control part terminates a corresponding application of the applications via the system control part when the termination condition is satisfied. 
 
     
     
       11. A remote management system, comprising:
 an imaging apparatus implementing a plurality of different applications; and 
 a remote management apparatus, connected to the imaging apparatus via a network, that manages an operation condition of the imaging apparatus; wherein: 
 the remote management apparatus sets a termination condition for terminating any of the applications of the imaging apparatus and sends the set termination condition to the imaging apparatus via the network, wherein the termination condition reflects a user's usage rights for an application; and 
 the imaging apparatus sets the termination condition received from the remote management apparatus, and terminates an application of the applications when the termination condition is satisfied. 
 
     
     
       12. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the imaging apparatus sends a notification of the termination of the application to the remote management apparatus via the network upon terminating the application. 
 
     
     
       13. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 12 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus further comprises a display unit that displays the notification received from the imaging apparatus. 
 
     
     
       14. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus generates first update information for changing the termination condition and sends said first update information to the imaging apparatus; and 
 the imaging apparatus receives the first update information, and updates the termination condition based on the first update information. 
 
     
     
       15. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 14 , wherein:
 the imaging apparatus sends a notification of a first updating result to the remote management apparatus via the network when the termination condition is updated. 
 
     
     
       16. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 15 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus further comprises a display unit that displays the notification received from the imaging apparatus. 
 
     
     
       17. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus has an expiration time management unit that manages an expiration time of the applications in the imaging apparatus, generates a termination instruction command for an application of the applications for which the expiration time has been reached, and sends said termination instruction command to the imaging apparatus; and 
 the imaging apparatus terminates the application based on the termination instruction command received from the remote management apparatus. 
 
     
     
       18. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus sets an initial state for an application of the applications for the imaging apparatus that indicates whether the application of the imaging apparatus is to be activated upon power-on of the imaging apparatus, and sends said initial state to the imaging apparatus; and 
 the imaging apparatus sets the received initial state and activates the application if activation is necessary according to the set initial state. 
 
     
     
       19. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 18 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus generates update information for changing the initial state, and sends said update information to the imaging apparatus; and 
 the imaging apparatus updates the initial state based on the update information received from the remote management apparatus. 
 
     
     
       20. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 19 , wherein:
 the imaging apparatus sends a notification of an updating result to the remote management apparatus via the network when the initial state is updated. 
 
     
     
       21. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 20 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus further comprises a display unit that displays the notification received from the imaging apparatus. 
 
     
     
       22. The remote management system as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein:
 the remote management apparatus generates an activation instruction command for activating an application of the applications upon power-on of the imaging apparatus and sends said activation instruction command to the imaging apparatus; and 
 the imaging apparatus activates the application based on the activation instruction command received from the remote management apparatus. 
 
     
     
       23. A method of managing an imaging apparatus that implements a plurality of different applications, the method comprising the steps of:
 receiving from an external apparatus a termination condition for any of the applications wherein the termination condition reflects a user's usage rights for an application; 
 setting the termination condition received from the external apparatus; 
 determining whether any of the applications satisfies said termination condition, and 
 terminating an application of the applications within the imaging apparatus when said termination condition is satisfied. 
 
     
     
       24. The method as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising:
 notifying the external apparatus of a termination of said application when said application is terminated. 
 
     
     
       25. The method as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising:
 receiving update information for changing the termination condition from the external apparatus. 
 
     
     
       26. The method as claimed in  claim 25 , further comprising:
 sending a notification of an update result to the external apparatus when the termination condition is updated. 
 
     
     
       27. The method as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising:
 receiving a termination instruction for an application of the applications from the external apparatus; and 
 terminating the application based on the termination instruction. 
 
     
     
       28. The method as claimed in  claim 23 , further comprising:
 activating an application of the applications according to an initial state of the application indicating whether the application is to be activated upon power-on of the imaging apparatus. 
 
     
     
       29. The method as claimed in  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving the initial state from the external apparatus, the initial state being set at the external apparatus. 
 
     
     
       30. The method as claimed in  claim 28 , further comprising:
 receiving update information for changing the initial state from the external apparatus; and 
 updating the initial state based on said update information. 
 
     
     
       31. The method as claimed in  claim 30 , further comprising:
 sending a notification of an updating result to the external apparatus when the initial state is updated. 
 
     
     
       32. The method as claimed in  claim 23 , wherein:
 the imaging apparatus includes a control unit having a system control part that provides an algorithm that is common to the plurality of different applications, and an application control part that is inserted between said system control part and the applications; and 
 the application control part terminates a corresponding application of the applications via the system control part when the termination condition is satisfied. 
 
     
     
       33. A method of managing an imaging apparatus implementing a plurality of different applications at a remote location, the method comprising the steps of:
 setting a termination condition for terminating any of the applications of the imaging apparatus at a remote management apparatus, wherein the termination condition reflects a user's usage rights for an application; 
 sending the set termination condition from the remote management apparatus to the imaging apparatus via a network; 
 setting the termination condition received from the remote management apparatus at the imaging apparatus; and 
 terminating an application of the applications at the imaging apparatus when the termination condition is satisfied.